Arizona Wildcats rout Harvard Crimson to reach Sweet 16

Mar. 23, 2013
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Arizona Wildcats guard/forward Kevin Parrom drives to the basket on Harvard Crimson guard Laurent Rivard in the first half during the third round of the NCAA basketball tournament at EnergySolutions Arena. / Steve Dykes, USA TODAY Sports

by Doug Haller, USA TODAY Sports

by Doug Haller, USA TODAY Sports

SALT LAKE CITY - Through two games of an event that gets crazier each season, Arizona has not trailed, not even for a second. Without question, there are worse ways to open March Madness.

At this point, it's hard to tell if the sixth-seeded Wildcats are peaking or simply lucky, having whipped two double-digit seeds over the NCAA Tournament's first week. But no matter how you spin it, this much seems clear: Good-shooting teams are struggling mightily against coach Sean Miller's team.

Thursday it was Belmont. Saturday it was Harvard. Arizona handcuffed the No. 14 Crimson, jumping to a big lead and running away with a 74-51 third-round win at EnergySolutions Arena. For the second time in three years, the Wildcats (27-7) advance to the Sweet 16. On Thursday in Los Angeles, they will face the winner of No. 2 Ohio State and No. 10 Iowa State.

"It's crazy," freshman center Kaleb Tarczewski said. "This is something that you dream about and to finally get here, it's an awesome experience. But we want to keep winning."

Entering the contest, the Harvard scouting report was simple: The Crimson shoot well. In Thursday's upset of third-seeded New Mexico, they shot 52.4 percent. Overall, they ranked ninth nationally in effective field-goal percentage (which factors in the added worth of a 3-pointer) and seventh in 3-point shooting.

And yet, Harvard missed 20 of its first 22 attempts against Arizona. The Crimson (20-10) warmed up for a spell in the second half but finished at 27.6 percent. Over the game's final 31 minutes, they never got closer than 13 points. It wasn't close, not from the start.

"Definitely, film didn't give them as much credit as they deserved," Harvard guard Siyani Chambers said, echoing a comment Belmont made two days earlier. "They were tremendous on defense, their rotations, their size. Their length was a problem. Give all the credit to them â?¦ they played great defense."

Offensively, Mark Lyons was the star, matching a career high with 27 points. The senior guard had a hand in 32 of Arizona's first 61 points. He did everything but get to the foul line, scoring off drives and perimeter jumpers. On consecutive plays in the first half, senior forward Solomon Hill set a back screen, allowing Lyons to cut to the basket for easy lobs.

"There are times when it doesn't look the same as a team that maybe has a true point guard, but I wouldn't trade him," Miller said. "When the chips are down, end of games, big games, he's ready. He doesn't give you that nervous energy. He gives you just the opposite, a confidence that I believe has become contagious on our team."

Miller has said all week that he liked how Arizona was playing entering this tournament. Looking back, he said maybe losing in the Pac-12 Tournament was a positive. It made the Wildcats feel cornered, hungrier.

"Once in a while, you win that conference tournament and you come into the (NCAA) Tournament feeling so good about yourselves that you're sent home almost before you realize it," Miller said.

To date, it's hard to find flaws. Arizona's biggest issue Saturday was Grant Jerrett's elbow injury, which limited him to two minutes. (The freshman forward said after the game he should be ready this week.) In two games, the Wildcats are shooting 56 percent, hitting 18 of 32 from 3-point range. They're holding opponents to 33 percent shooting.

If this continues in Los Angeles, Arizona will be dangerous.

"It's great to be back in the Sweet 16 and trying to advance," Lyons said.